Industry leaders gathered to explore emerging investment opportunities, energy security, sustainable investing and the role of capital in delivering positive impact alongside financial returns.
100 Women in Finance (100WF) hosted its 2026 Impact Investing Symposium on Thursday, October 8, at Gibson Dunn in New York City, bringing together investment professionals and industry leaders for an afternoon of insightful discussions, fresh perspectives and meaningful connections.
The Symposium provided a forum to examine how investors are navigating an evolving global landscape, identifying emerging opportunities and pursuing investment strategies that seek compelling financial performance alongside measurable positive impact.
Building on a legacy established by High Water Women in 2013, the annual gathering continues to convene leaders from across the investment community to explore the intersection of capital, innovation and sustainable investing.
The program opened with remarks from Rehana Farrell, CEO of 100 Women in Finance, and Kate Timmerman of Gibson Dunn, setting the stage for an afternoon of insights, collaboration and exchange.
Conversations Shaping the Future of Investing
Throughout the afternoon, industry experts examined important opportunities and challenges influencing investment decisions, from energy security and infrastructure resilience to the evolving relationship between financial returns and positive impact.
Leadership Perspectives on Capital and Impact
A leadership conversation featuring John Delaney of Galvanize Climate and Yana Watson Kakar of La Caisse, moderated by Courtney Birnbaum of Corbin Capital Partners, brought together perspectives on investment leadership, emerging opportunities and the role of institutional capital in advancing long term outcomes.
Energy Security, Infrastructure and Resilience
As global energy demands and infrastructure priorities evolve, investors are navigating new challenges and opportunities related to energy security and resilience.
Preeti Bhattacharji, Leslie Biddle of NextEra Energy Resources and Wendy Cromwell of Wellington Management joined moderator Emily A. Chien to examine the investment themes shaping the future of energy infrastructure, security and resilience.
Positive Impact and Outsized Returns
The discussion on intentional impact investments explored how investors can pursue positive outcomes while maintaining a focus on financial performance.
Amanda Bamberger of Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Amantia Muhedini of UBS Global Wealth Management and Laura Nishikawa of MSCI shared perspectives on evaluating investment opportunities, assessing impact strategies and considering measurable outcomes alongside financial objectives.
Table Topics: Where Ideas Become Conversations
Beyond the featured panels and leadership conversations, the Symposium’s signature Table Topics offered participants an opportunity to engage directly with peers and industry experts in smaller group discussions.
These interactive exchanges encouraged participants to share experiences, explore investment themes in greater depth and build professional connections across the investment community.
By combining expert insights with opportunities for direct dialogue, the Symposium reinforced the value of collaboration, knowledge sharing and diverse perspectives in addressing complex investment challenges.
Closing Reflections and Lasting Connections
The Symposium concluded with reflections from Committee Co-Chairs Drianne Benner of Appomattox, Sari J. Mayer, CAIA, of Global Credit Advisers and Eve Mrozek of Gibson Dunn, bringing the afternoon’s conversations to a close.
A networking reception followed, offering attendees additional opportunities to exchange perspectives, strengthen professional relationships and continue conversations sparked throughout the program.
The day’s discussions highlighted the importance of connecting investment expertise, diverse perspectives and shared purpose to explore opportunities for financial performance and positive impact.
Advancing the Conversation Together
100 Women in Finance extends its sincere appreciation to Gibson Dunn for graciously hosting the 2026 Impact Investing Symposium and to the speakers, moderators, Table Topic leaders, volunteers and attendees whose contributions made the event possible.
Special thanks also go to the Symposium’s sponsors and partners for their valued support:
eMoney Advisor, Energy Impact Partners, Silver Regulatory Associates, ImpactAlpha, Emerging Manager Monthly and Impact Wealth.
As investment strategies continue to evolve, the Impact Investing Symposium remains an important platform for bringing together professionals committed to exploring the intersection of capital, innovation and meaningful change.
Because impact is not just about where we invest. It is about what we make possible.